His Homecoming
by Melissa Kensington
Summary: When Buffy gets herself into trouble, who will be there to help her out?


Title: Homecoming (Started 11/25)   
  
Author: Kat  
  
Rating: PG-13 (So far…)  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anything 'cept for the ideas in my head, the notebook I'm writing in and the pen in hand  
  
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Chapter One   
  
It was any other regular patrol night in December, only a week into the month, only two and a half weeks till Christmas. That left only two weeks until that anniversary, one which she wished that she could have forgotten while she was dead. 'But we don't always get what we want,' Buffy thought ruefully.   
  
She did a cursory sweep of the cemetery, wanting to swing over to the Espresso Pump to pick up a mochachino for her and Willow, who was still down in the dumps about her breakup with Tara   
  
Thankfully, Dawn was over Xander and Anya's apartment helping with wedding plans. Since it was a Tuesday, Buffy could only cross her fingers with hope that no trouble occurred tonight. She was definitely more for the helping the best friend through the breakup period, not the whole superhero idea.   
  
It wasn't past 8:30, when she was walking past the new mayor's office and she heard the scream. That scream would be the downfall for the Slayer.   
  
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Buffy put all her strength into running to the front of City Hall. Just inside the entrance, she saw a blonde vamp feeding off a younger girl, probably a secretary staying late to finish the day's work. She ran towards the door and ran through the glass, covering her face from flying fragments. The automatic alarm went off, making Buffy realize that she had to work fast. The vamp hearing the ruckus turned her head around and growled at her.   
  
"Slayer…"she hissed  
  
The girl's body dropped to the ground bruises encircled her neck and no blood trickled out of the neck wound. Buffy knew that she had been too late.   
  
"You're gonna pay for this," she whispered   
  
The blood sucking fiend gave her an evil smile and lunged at her not letting the Slayer get the upper hand in preparing for the fight. Buffy received a left hook for her carelessness but came back with a roundhouse kick to the vampire's head. More punches flew between the two until Buffy finally got the upper hand and pulled her stake. She plunged the pointed object into its mark. The vampire exploded into dust and Buffy sank to her knees next to the fallen girl. Purple bruises mauled her neck and the puncture of the vampire bite was still fresh.   
  
Click!  
  
The unmistakable drawing and cocking of a gun made its way to her ears. 'Damnit,' she thought, 'The guard thinks I did this. That I committed this crime.'  
  
"Turn around slowly with your hands behind your head," he said deliberately pronouncing each word  
  
She did as she was told. What was this? The third conviction of murder for her? First Kendra, her friend and former Slayer, Allen Finch, Deputy Mayor and now her…this secretary. The guard holstered his gun and moved to put the handcuffs on her hands. That was it…she couldn't go to jail. Before he could fasten the metal cuff onto her, she punched him and then high kicked him in the solar plexus sending him flying into the wall. Time to make her escape. Just as she thought this, two cop cars pulled up to the front door. New plan….  
  
Earlier that night….  
  
Damn Sunnydale….why did he have to come back? Oh…that's right…the military forced him to have a meeting with Sunnydale's current mayor Robert Lewis since they needed Sunnydale's participation and alliance in the extermination of the Lasok demon species. He walked in at 7:45 in order to meet Mayor Lewis for dinner at a swanky restaurant just outside Sunnydale. He didn't know of the place because his dinner partner had made the reservations. The mayor's secretary, a young woman with medium length brown hair and tortoiseshell framed glasses led him into an office, acknowledging that Lewis was caught up in a meeting with the Police Chief. 'Common occurrence,' Riley thought to himself.  
  
He sat back in his chair and relaxed. Closing his eyes, he felt the jet lag from Moscow start to take him over. 'I'll just rest my eyes,' he thought as sleep overcame his consciousness.   
  
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Buffy swallowed her fear and looked for an escape. Members of Sunnydale's finest were beginning to get out of their squad cars and the cop that she'd hit was beginning to come to. 'Nowhere to run,' was the thing that kept repeating in her mind in a sing song voice.   
  
She looked around wildly only to find a door that said stairs and ran towards it, hoping to find it unlocked, only to have her hope shot down. Kicking it open, she hurried upstairs. Buffy had to pick between left and right hallway. Choosing left she sprinted down only to find another security guard.   
  
"Don't move or I'll shoot," he warned  
  
He quickly pulled his gun and as she made a move to run pulled the trigger. With a bang the gun exploded and out its bullet, striking Buffy in the arm. Blood seeped the wound and she went down the hallway running for her life. It was the only solution that she had left…  
  
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Riley's eyes felt like they had just closed when he heard the gun fire. His eyes shot open and he got up. There was probably a demon loose in the building. Just then the phone rang. Riley picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mayor Lewis?"  
  
"No, this is Agent Riley Finn. I was waiting for Mayor Lewis for a meeting that we had had scheduled. I just heard a gun shot. What's going on?"  
  
The man on the other line sighed and knew that he would have to release classified.   
  
"We have fugitive loose in the building. She is approximately 5'3" or 5'4", 100 pounds, blondish brown hair. It you find her, subdue her, there should be a bottle of chloroform in the Mayor's desk. If you get that far dial *99 and we'll come get her."  
  
"I got it. I'll call you."  
  
Riley did as he was told and went into the Mayor's desk. Just as promised a glass bottle of chloroform sat in the desk along with other illegal medications.   
  
"Guess Sunnydale's mayors are definitely not in the clear," he muttered, thinking of Buffy's battle with the mayor.  
  
He doused the handkerchief in the inhalant and quietly went out the office door, looking for the culprit. Out of nowhere the escapee came running from around the corner, holding her arm, looking behind her and not in front. She crashed into him, knocking them both to the floor. She struggled to get away from him but before she could he placed the hankie over her nose and mouth until she passed out. Riley released her tiny body and got up from behind wanting to see the face of the attacker. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw that it was her.   
  
All the memories came rushing at him. Buffy a criminal? Somehow things just weren't adding up. He also realized that that she had been shot. Clenching his jaw, he knew what he had to do. Picking up his beloved's body, he noticed that she was still light as a feather, even a little bit lighter. Riley brought her back into the office. Her picked up the phone and dialed a number.   
  
"Yeah, I need a pickup. Ten minutes? See you then…"  
  
Hanging up the phone, he walked over to the small couch. He had laid Buffy on it once bringing her into the office. Riley pushed a stray lock of hair off her pale face.   
  
"I'm so sorry my love," he whispered, laying a kiss on her forehead.   
  
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Later that night….  
  
Dawn looked uneasily out the window of Xander and Anya's apartment.   
  
"Guys, now I'm wigged. It's 9:45. She said she was doing a quick sweep of the cemetery and then hanging with Willow for a bit and coming to getting me. It's really late and Buffy's responsible…do you think she could be hurt?"  
  
"Dawnster, I'm sure she's fine. But if it'll make you feel better, how 'bout we call you house and find out what's the what."  
  
Dawn nodded, wanting the reassurance of hearing her big sister's voice. Xander picked up their phone and dialed the number that he had learned by heart so long ago. Two rings and his red head best friend picked up.  
  
"Hey Will, it's Xand…Dawn's here…"he started but was cut off.  
  
"Xander! Oh god! Is Buffy there with you?" she asked hopefully  
  
Xander swallowed the nausea that had risen from the pit of his stomach.   
  
"No, she's not. You mean she hasn't been with you all night?" he asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to worry the fifteen year old that sat with his fiancé.   
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying Xander! What if she's lying in a ditch somewhere, hurt or worse?" the red head asked him  
  
"Wills, calm down. We'll find her. Meet us at the apartment."  
  
Xander hung up the phone and willed Buffy to call. He dreaded telling Dawn. Dawn walked over to him.   
  
"Xander, is she okay?" Is she coming to pick me up?" Dawn asked optimistically   
  
"Dawn, sit down," he pleaded  
  
She did as she was told and sat on the couch next to Anya. Before he spoke, she interjected.   
  
"She's dead isn't she?" Dawn asked her voice full of tears  
  
"No Dawn, we don't know that. But she didn't come home."  
  
"So what are we doing just sitting here? We should be out looking for her?"  
  
"Agreed, we're just waiting for Willow."  
  
"I understand…"Dawn responded sullenly, looking down at her entwined hands  
  
Xander lifted her chin so that she looked him in the eyes.  
  
"We will find her," he vowed  
  
The doorbell rang and Xander left to answer it. 


End file.
